Sacrifice
by Georgiaish
Summary: What would have happened if Rose had let Jack go on the door instead of him letting her? Oneshot. Disclaimer - I don't own Titanic or any of the characters featured in this story.


Rose's Sacrifice

**Hey guys! It's been so long since I've written **_**Titanic**_** fan fiction; this is just a little something that came to me whilst I was planning my History essay. Enjoy, and review please! **

At least the cries had stopped, that was a comfort she clung to and yet... the silence pierced her ears more than the screams of thousands of dying people had done. She squeezed Jack's hand, which had long frozen to her own. She sighed in relief to feel a small amount of pressure squeeze it back. They had been this way for long time now, Rose floating on the door and Jack hopelessly in the water beside it. All Rose could focus on was avoiding the cold but her body was numbing and she welcomed the warm sensation it offered. In an attempt to block out the cold, she thought of the wonderful things Jack had shown and taught her but that only made her feel worse. She _would _die here, she knew that. But it was alright, Jack was here. She could see him out of the corner of her eye, and she was scared to see him look so helpless. His blond hair was tangled and had a blue tint to it; icicles clung to every part of his face and hair.

She felt the tears burn her face with their warmth, _why had he stopped me from helping him onto the door too? _He would surely die, like everyone else.

She squeezed Jack's hand again and her blood ran even colder when she felt no familiar squeeze back.

With tremendous effort, she rolled over onto her stomach to look directly at him. He was as still as a corpse and at first she could only stare at him. _How warm they had been a few hours ago, in the Renault... _

"Jack?" She whispered feebly, the word ripping at her throat. When he didn't answer, she panicked and did the only think she could think of. She slapped him. As hard as she could round the cheek.

He groaned and a flicker of a smile graced her features. He opened his eyes and she could read the look of surprise in them. _He was expecting to be dead._

Wordlessly, she unclamped her hand from his and slid off the door. The water rippled around her and attacked at her clothes, soaking them in an instant. Jack's eyes widened in alarm, and he opened his mouth to protest, but his voice betrayed him and he could only gasp as he felt himself being pushed out of the icy water.

He sighed at the sudden relief. He knew the effect would be minimal; his clothes were already soaked and the air was far below freezing, but just being out of the water made him feel as though he was being warmed beside a fire. He guessed it was his limbs regaining feeling that caused the burning sensation. He reached out to Rose, and grabbed her hand.

"Why d'ya do that?" he could only whisper. He knew that he was dying in the water, but he never wanted this. Neither of them would have the strength to be able to swap themselves round again.

"I had my turn, it's yours now." She looked him in the eyes, daring him to scold her or argue but he laid his head down to rest on their hands. "You've already saved me Jack."

"They'll be back for us soon" he murmured, not really believing it but it seemed to offer Rose some comfort, so he was glad.

Rose was shocked by how cold she was. Never before had she felt the immense burning in her limbs, and she was tearing up. She figured it was good, letting her know she was still alive. She was comforted by his words and his very presence, and if he lived through this then she accomplished something.

What would she have to live for without Jack? He would be just fine if she died, but not the other way around. She was certain of it.

She felt the burning subside and a welcoming numbness enveloped her. There was faint voice off in the distance and with some effort, she opened her frozen eyelids and saw a light. She smiled and felt warmth as something pulled her up and out of her body.

Jack saw the light too, and pulled his eyes away from the shooting star that had just appeared like an angel in the blackness. So vast and endless, and so beautiful.

"_What did you wish for?" _

"_Something I can't have," _

Only she could, and she did. She had chose to leave everything she knew behind and come with a penniless drifter and why? Jack was still pondering the question. _How could she love me? _But it was love that made them risk their lives over again for the other.

_But it paid off, everything. I'd even be chased by Cal again if it meant I could spend one night in Rose's arms. When we get to New York I'm going to make sure she lives like she deserves. Help us._

He wished on the shooting star like Rose had. That light was getting nearer and it was stinging his eyes. It couldn't be, could it? Jack held his breath until he heard;

"Is anyone alive out there?" Jack could have cried! _Yes! We're alive, now get the hell onto that damn boat! _He turned back to Rose and his smile vanished immediately.

She had her head resting on the side of the door, and her hand was still clamped in his own. Her eyes were closed and icicles had began to form upon the surface of her eyelids. She was smiling a contented smile and looked so dream-like that she could almost have been sleeping.

Almost.

"No" he breathed, taking her limp head into his hands, with his thumb he brushed her matted crimson hair from her closed eyes. "No, no, no, Rose," he shook her arm and with dread, he checked for a pulse on her soft neck. The first thing he felt was how much colder she was than him. _Why did she go with you? You put yourself before her and now she's dead. _

"C'mon Rose! Please,"He felt the tears cascading down his cheeks with an unknown energy and he howled in anguish; the sound tore from him before he was even aware of it and was like that of a wounded animal. The sound echoed all around and it almost spoke for every lost soul in their Ocean grave.

The light shone in his direction and he felt it but couldn't look away from Rose's face. _My Rose,_

And she was. He Rose. The Rose he loved, the ambition, how she had broken free of her chains, how she loved _him. _He heard the voice again, louder this time, but ignored it only vaguely aware of it coming towards him.

"We'll make it count." He kissed her forehead and let his head rest on the door before blackness engulfed him.

**As I said, anything to get out of this History essay... Hope you enjoyed it! Review?**


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